Free At Last
by vmarsgg
Summary: Mercer gets out of prison. The events that transpire after his release. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Free at last. Mercer Hayes looked around as he exited the prison gates. He had been rotting in a jail cell for the last six years all because of one Veronica Mars. It was time to pay her a visit and exercise the old bible saying "an eye for an eye."

I opened the paper this morning and the first headline I see? "Mercer Hayes released from prison today" I dropped the paper in shock; he is supposed to have six more years. I picked up the paper and read on, " Mercer Hayes, walks free today after six years in the California State Prison. He was convicted for seven rapes and on attempted rape. While attending school at Hearst University Hayes went on a spree of rapes, his signature was shaving the heads of his victims, he was known as the Hearst Rapist. After finishing 6 years of his 12 year term he is being released on good behavior." I put the paper back down on the table and began to wonder what this would mean for me and Mercer's other victims. Has prison helped him change or is he going to be after revenge? I need to call Parker and let her know, I have a bad feeling in my about this. For a minute I think about calling someone to keep me company but quickly change my mind. I am Veronica Mars, an independent woman, I can take care of myself, the only thing I need is Backup and maybe sometimes a taser. Mercer didn't get me the first time and I will be damned if I let him get me this time.

Logan Echolls started reading the paper but stopped when he noticed the article on Mercer Hayes. Logan swore under his breath. He knew Mercer all to well and knew what was on his mind. His stomach dropped knowing what could possibly happen to Veronica and knowing that there was nothing he could do to help, he hadn't spoken to her in almost five years. Their breakup had been a bad one, leaving them in different places with pieces of their lives scattered and needing to be picked up and rebuilt. It had been a long five years, and truth be told he still missed her. Logan looked at his cell phone on the table it was 8 o'clock. He hurried up to his bedroom and into his closet, pulling boxes out until he got to the one in the very back. He opened the box and pulled out a red cell phone. He pressed send, he hadn't had to use this phone for years, he hoped the number was still the same as it was all those years ago. The phone rang one, two, three times before a familiar voice answered. "Hey it's me, he got out of prison today. We need to have everything ready just in case, I have a bad feeling about this." Logan paused as he listened the person on the other side of the line and responded, "I will talk to him, and he will realize why this could be necessary. Get all the arrangements ready and make sure they can be carried out at a moment's notice. Good to talk to you again, bye."


	2. Chapter 2

Veronica stretched her arms. It had been a long day at the LA Tribune. Stories coming in by the truckload, all needing to be written by deadline. It had been a stressful day but at least it had kept her from thinking about the significance of the day. She looked at the calendar and leaned back in her chair. Ten years, had it really been that long? What would Lilly have been like today? Where would she have gone to college? What would her profession of choice have been? Would she have stayed with Logan or would she have moved on? Veronica closed her eyes trying to remember Lilly and the good times, and then she came.

"Veronica Mars look at you gone all career woman!"

"Lilly! It's been such a long time, the last time I saw you were before the bus crash. Why have you stayed away?"

"Oh Veronica, I can only come sometimes now, since you freed my soul and all. But that doesn't mean that I am not watching! Your life is like my favorite channel to tune in to!"

"It's been ten years Lil, ten years today. You know most days I don't even think about you anymore, I don't want to forget you."

"You won't forget me Veronica, I'm fabulous and we were fabulous! Imagine if you did still think of me everyday, what kind of life would you have?"

"I know. I just miss you, Lilly. Lilly? Lilly don't leave now! Please, just a little longer!"

"Be careful Miss Mars."

Veronica opened her eyes. It had been so long since Lilly had come to her during a dream, she had forgotten, so much. A lot of the details were fuzzy now, and it was painful to acknowledge that she was forgetting those things little by little. Life was never supposed to have turned out like this. Everything had changed because of that one day. Ten years and so much had changed. Veronica leaned back in her chair and took a deep breath. She still needed to go to the cemetery, like she did every year, with a single lily. She could feel the tears building up. She quickly collected her things and walked out the back door of the Tribune building. As she walked to her car she heard a voice behind her, " I hear this is a significant day for you Veronica Mars, what do you say we keep it that way." Veronica turned around quickly and her bag fell off her shoulder. "No please, don't, just leave me alone, please. This is a bad decision." Veronica fell to the ground as Mercer hit her across the face. She was barely conscious as he continued to hit and kick her just as he was getting ready to finish the job Veronica heard a door open and a women scream, Mercer looked up in surprise and saw the women on the phone yelling frantically for an ambulance and the police. He ran. Veronica started to fade as she heard the woman tell her the police were on their way. Veronica saw Lilly again.

"You came back!"

"Just for a little while to keep you company and to make sure you don't walk to the light. As much as I would love your company up here, it's not your time yet, you still have some living left to do."

"I just feel so tired Lilly."

"No you don't you just think you do. Here they are, I told you to be careful Veronica. You know Logan was right all those years ago, you're not invincible, you need someone to watch out for you."

"I thought that was what you did Lilly.'

"Yeah but only from afar, now go back!"


	3. Chapter 3

The ambulance pulled up to the hospital, lights flashing. Veronica had been in and out of consciousness during the ride; to help her body cope the EMT's had given her a drug to keep her knocked out. As they pulled her out of the vehicle a man came running up, "Veronica? Are you okay? This is my daughter, what is wrong?" "Sir, you will have to wait for the doctor's to examine her."

Keith had been waiting for over an hour when Logan arrived at the hospital. His face was creased with worry. "Have they told you anything yet?" he asked Keith.

"Nothing, I keep waiting and asking anyone who walks by, but they won't tell me anything." Keith was practically kneading his forehead. Logan sat next to Keith, prepared to wait as long as it would take.

Another long hour later a tired thirty something doctor came out to update them on Veronica's condition. "She has been brutally beaten, she had internal bleeding, which we were able to correct in surgery. Both of her legs are broken in several places and her right arm is broken. She has severe trauma to the head and is has gone back to an unconscious state, we believe that she will wake up but there really is no telling. Her recovery will take several months and the emotional damage may take years. It appears as though her attacker meant to rape her after beating her." Keith and Logan sat listening to the Doctor tally Veronica's injuries one by one, both sat in shock listening to the severity of her condition. Keith finally looked up at the Doctor and asked, "When can we see her?" "Right now if you would like. But be prepared, she has bruises everywhere and overall looks bad."

Logan and Keith followed the Doctor to the Intensive Care Unit where Veronica lay. She looked so helpless and pained with tubes running everywhere, bandages covering most of her body and casts among other things. Keith was opening crying looking at his battered daughter, Logan could feel the tears rising; Veronica had never looked so helpless.

Keith took Veronicas hand as Logan stood in the corner watching. "Honey, we are going to find him, whoever did this to you he will pay. You need to listen to me Veronica, you need to get better, come back to us. Logan is here; he has been waiting with me. He is very worried, you need to come back and put our minds at ease."

As Keith stood up again, Logan approached him gently touching his arm, " I think we need to discuss what needs to happen to protect Veronica." Keith nodded, turning to look at Veronica once more. Logan pulled out a large manila folder. "These are the contacts we know Mercer has made in prison, I am sure that he is behind this, he got out yesterday you know." Keith looked up in surprise, " I thought he had six years left!" "Good behavior apparently. I have a jet ready to take her out of the country, and a decoy in case anyone is paying attention. The jet will take Veronica to a safe place where Mercer will not be able to find her and even if he does the security is so tight that he will not be able to get through to her. Wallace is standing by ready to transport her and make sure that she is will taken care of on the flight, emergency care is not his specialty but he has been studying up and is confident he is ready for anything. When the jet lands there will be a full medical staff ready, they have all signed confidentiality agreements so that no one can get word of where she is. Wallace will stay long enough to make sure she is transferred to the right people safely and then will fly back but will keep in touch with the medical staff and give us updates. Veronica will stay with" Logan looked around to make sure no one was around and to be careful whispered to Keith who and where Veronica would be taken for her safety. "It really is the only way to ensure that Mercer and his contacts cannot get to her. We will bring her back after we have Mercer back where he belongs and when we are sure that none of his contacts are working on his order. Until that time we will use a system of jets to take us to see her, but we have to be careful." Keith sat listening to Logan and looking through the papers in the folder, he sighed deeply and turned his head to look at Veronica. Logan followed his gaze, ' She is to vulnerable here, we have to protect her." Keith looked back at Logan; a look of determination had taken over on his face. "We will do what we have to, she has to be safe. When does she leave?"

Veronica looked around her; she had been here before, many years before. It had been so long. Lilies were floating around her in the pool; she put her head back on the floating device. The last time she was here she was with Lilly, but where was Lilly now?

"This new look does nothing for you Veronica Mars, I told red satin, that is the real Veronica Mars!"

"Lilly you came! The last time you were here you said you had to leave"

"Yeah, but you know that is wasn't permanent, well mostly permanent, but not entirely, after all what would you do without me forever? Besides you unconscious, the rules totally change with these circumstances."

"I am unconscious?"

"Yeah, I told you to be careful, you really should listen to me, but since you are here, we have some serious catching up to do."

Veronica laughed at Lilly; it was nice to be with her again, Veronica had missed her vivacious best friend. Lilly always made life more exciting.


End file.
